August 2007
Can anyone tell me please what DTC900 flashing on a ford dash means pease
Thank you regards Doc Read more
Saw a very local and genuine 1.3 Endura MK4 Fiesta which was perfect but it was only serviced every two years (10k miles). The bodywork was mint, the interior looked like new and it drove well however it stalled twice (maybe just me?) and when I reved it a puff of black smoke came out then it cleared up was clean. The rear box is clearly quite sutty.
The car is £500 for a P reg which is on the cheap side. Have I done the right think by walking away? Seen four cars already and this was the best one (not been clocked and no warn camshaft rattles).
Been told the 97 cars had a different camshaft which was much stronger is there any way of telling which camshaft is used as the engine block and engine management system is identical?
I just want a good MK4 Fiesta 5 door for around £700-£800 is this too much for ask even for a P reg with FSH? Read more
just spent all morning fixing the rust on my mates N reg, its all on the sills and arches but it is not structural so hopefully MOT man will be happy with it. Hopefully we cought it before it started t corrode the sills.
Now residing in Northampton. Need to get to Heathrow for 8am on a Sunday, returning 6am Sunday.
Coach. Simply not possible. Need to leave the night before.
Train. 3 1/2 hours each way. Multiple changes. Lots of luggage. Cheapest ticket £59 squids. £10 taxi each way to train station so £89 squids all up.
Parking £60 squids for 15 days. Petrol £20. Journey 2 hours tops each way.
So car it is. So much for the treehuggers.
I assume you mean Heathrow ? - PU Read more
Your right treehuggers like George Clooney don't go to Heathrow. They fly by private yet which means Northolt.
I have limited mechanical knowledge so i am asking for any help i can get . My Wife has a 2003 1.9 tdi 130 bhp seat alhambra which for the most is an excellent car . However our family holiday involves towing a caravan which is when this problem presents . I will describe as best i can The vehicle gets to about 1800 rpm seems to hesitate a flat spot so to say a sucking or whirring noise can be heard at about 2200 rpm it appears to free itself a puff of black smoke leaves the exhaust and the vehicle continues underpowered and no turbo assistance appears to be available. This problem does not arise without caravan and vehicle will accelerate sharply. the car has been diagnosed and no fault with air mass meter or waste gate has been found. a soggy fit was suggested between bottom pipe at turbo and intercooler has been suggested. has anyone experience of this as reluctant to dispose excellent car.
Tweak to subject line - PU Read more
if you send email address i will send copy of printout m8, Strangely hiss really only detected with caravan on tow not detected when car not towing.
Please help me compile a list of popular cars (wanted and loved cars) that cost under £1000. That are easy to sell as they are on demand. Read more
At £1000 you are in the dark underbelly of the used car trade. Most serious traders will not be playing about with £1000 cars. Too much liablility and too little margin - its not worth the effort. Money is fairly cheap these days, so most respectable punters will be looking for cars at £3000+.
At £1000 you will be attracting a lot of undesirables - do you really want them to know where you live? Knocking on your door at 10.30pm on a Sunday because the 'charge' light has come on driving back from the pub (and he's got a few of his mates in the car with him for 'moral support').
You might find a few 'diamond' cars, but a lot will be clunkers that have never seen an oil change. Unfortunately the mythical friendly main dealers who let local traders have their tidy p/x's are very few and far between. Most of the big dealer groups have contracts with the major auction houses and pretty much everything will go to them. If they get a good offer on a motor then they will sell it to you, but they won't give it away (they'll probably want more than they were expecting at auction) and you DO have to be a legit trader (premises, VAT no. etc) - the reason being that they will want it to be a genuine 'trade sale' and no possibility of a come-back, you saying it was a retail sale etc. Their used car manager will want the car gone and no come back.
I have said on here before to 'specialise' in something - could be Mercs, BMWs, small-autos, Jap sports cars, 4x4's (well, perhaps not) etc etc. That way you build up your product knowledge and establish a local reputation. Selling random Corsas, Saxos, Clios will be a right pain.
I did once have some take me to Small Claims. I did some work on an Impreza WRX - knew the bloke (youngish lad) very well. It needed a timing belt. I suggested a new tensioner as well (£100 extra, but a good idea). Anyway, he was short of money so no tensioner.
Year later he sold the car to a mate of his. Timing belt then snapped 14 months and 17k miles after I had done the job - tensioner problem. New owner takes me to SCC!! - gets very threatening. I just said 'bring it on'. Anyway, he kept on with it, went to court. I turned up and I won! Does waste a lot of time though.
25 years ago my father and I could make a good living from a smallish workshop and a forecourt of medium-low priced used cars. But the world has moved on. Independent repairers are working 12 hour days and struggling with modern technology. Everybody wants the cheapest car - or an 'offer' (0% etc.). Flogging shrapnel is not easy life. Its not case of buying something cheap at auction, valeting it, and adding £500, its really not.
I have a Volvo s60 2.0 T SE late 2000 in fact December model
Has any one had trouble with there airflow meter/ lambda sensor or the throttle body? - Reason I ask is its revving from 600/ 1100 on idle, it doesn't like the aircon being used.
I have hooked it up to a machine four times all with different suspects! Ive replaced the airflow meter had the lambda sensor checked but to no avail!!
sometimes its ok on other days its pants! I had a Laguna before this car .... spent £3,000 on it in one year just to keep it on the road! did that dealer see me coming or what !! but then someone kindly wrote it off for me, I shook his hand lovely sorted that out .... consequently i bought this volvo thinking I'd be safe as! don't want to go down the spend spend road again
Anyone had similar hassles with there s60?
Subject line tweaked, some tidying up of text as well... PU Read more
Nice one pete ,
I shall pass that on to my equally bemused headscratching mechanic !! hopefully he has one of those vacuum thingys ... cheers....
Advice Welcome.
Key in drivers door locks/unlocks all doors, will not control alarm. Drivers door locking switch locks/unlocks all doors except drivers ,as Actuator key in passenger door.Remote locks/unlocks and on/off alarm , but not drivers door. Actuator in drivers door checks o.k.with external 12v supply to act,connections.No signs of damaged wires at door shut etc.Could I run a 2-core wire from act,connections drivers door to say rear door (parallel connection) to check out and leave permanently if it corrects the prob.
brendan keady.
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hi all,
my 51 plate L200 seem to 'surge' a little between 2500 and 3000 rpm, I have heard on the grape vine that it could be to do with the version of software she is running.....any chaps (or lassies) out there know anything about it?
2001 51 plate L200 2.5TD
Thanks
H ;-)
Tweaked the subject line to show model and problem - PU Read more
I was just wondering if you can clear something up for me.
I am thinking of getting another car and use my car as a trade-in however I have still to pay off the loan in full. I am not looking to borrow more money for the new car but was wondering if the loan can be transferred to the new car without having to arrange a new loan at a higher interest rate?
Thanks.
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Speak to them direct before you look for a car. If you have a good record they'll want you to stay with them and you'll probably get a better deal by dealing direct. Phone their helpline.
I just read his article on the Volvo C30. That guy can sure write clever. Makes TopGear look Neanderthal. (Mind you, doesn't everything?) Read more
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